Four major sports, four stories, two gold medals, one captivated nation. We take a look back at some of Australia’s World Cup teams from 2023.
Across the world, major sporting events occur all year round but none are bigger in each respective sport than a World Cup. This year has been the year of World Cups for Australia, having hosted one on home soil, and played in another five world cups across a multitude of sports. With world cups come moments, and we are going to look back on the four teams that left the biggest impact on the Australian sporting landscape through their performances at world cups in 2023, and to kick us off…
The Boomers (FIBA World Cup, final position: 10th)
Starting us off is arguably the biggest let down of the 2023 World Cup season: The Boomers. Having come off a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games, the Boomers and the Australian public entered the 2023 FIBA World Cup with serious and warranted medal aspirations.
However, these aspirations would not be fulfilled. In truly disappointing fashion the Boomers fell to a final record of three wins and two losses, which would see them fail to make it out of the second round of the tournament.
Having made it so far two years ago at the Olympics, the Australian public were expecting big things in 2023. Instead, over the month-long tournament, Aussie hoop fans had to watch another truly talent and stacked Australian team fall short of their best performance.
This year’s tournament was recognised as the highly likely end to Patty Mills' FIBA World Cup career, as the now 35-year-old looked to lead his team to an illusive FIBA medal. Mills did everything in his power across the tournament to lead Australia to wins, having featured in the teams top three for points, rebounds, and assists per game. Mills was truly showcasing his veteran talents. Unfortunately, not enough of Mills’ teammates stepped up to carry the torch with him and it left the team looking red-faced and unprepared at moments throughout the five games that were played.
From coaching calls to poor chemistry, nothing seemed to click for the Aussies, and it ultimately led to this tournament leaving a sour taste in the mouth of all Aussie basketball fans. This sour taste is why we’re featuring them in our four teams who left the biggest impact. Unfortunately for the Boomers, they are team the team that left the biggest negative impact on the Australian sporting public, as they were unable to live up to the very lofty but understandable expectations.
The Diamonds (Netball World Cup, final position: Champions)
Every time a Netball World Cup comes around, the Diamonds find themselves as favourite —and rightly so. Prior to the 2023 World Cup, the Diamonds had won 11 of the 15 previous World Cups. However, the 2023 Netball World Cup had a different feel to it. The players representing Australia went to South Africa in the middle of a pay dispute with Netball Australia over their domestic duties. This added pressure, and the pre-existing expectation to win made it clear there was only one acceptable finish to this World cup, and it was another Aussie victory.
The Diamonds played a total of nine games across the tournament. The story followed the usual arc, with the diamonds easily accounting for some opponents but having tough competitive matches against the likes of England, New Zealand and Jamaica. Having been led so strongly by the likes of Liz Watson, Jo Weston and Ash Brazill, the Diamonds were always poised to make a run at the championship yet again, and this year they would face off against England in the final game. As in any other sport, a win against the English is a must but beating them in a game that would grant a World Cup is ten times better. The Diamonds showcased their strength against the Roses and easily accounted for them in the final.
The Diamonds 12th World Cup title came at such a pivotal time for the sport, being a part of a major pay dispute, and with pressures from sponsorships, the Diamonds needed to win, and they did just that. This victory is on the list of most impactful World Cup performances due to the major implications it could have on the payments of players and the standing of netball in the Australian sporting world.
Australian Men’s Cricket (ICC Men’s ODI World Cup, final position: Champions)
The men’s ODI World Cup that took place in India was a huge opportunity for the Australian Men’s cricket team. Having just come off success in the Ashes in England, the Aussies were on top of the test arena, however their ODI form was strongly questionable leading into the tournament. Having placed so much focus on beating England and winning the test series against India, the Aussies were not exactly on the ODI rhythm leading into the tournament and it showed early.
Australia started the tournament with two straight losses, first against the host nation India and then against South Africa in the second game. After these two losses the Australian sporting media were rightly questioning if the team were up to it, and the only way those questions could be answered were through performances during the remaining games. Starting the tournament 0-2 left the team fighting from a corner for the remainder of the qualification games. The only way Australia would make it out of this was through inspirational performances, and no performance was and may ever be more inspirational than a cramp-riddled Glenn Maxwell smashing 201 runs in a world beating knock for the ages.
After making their way back from a dismal start, the Aussies had now secured a semi-final berth against South Africa. Having lost to them earlier in the tournament, there were question marks over the team’s ability to find success in the semi. The ride of emotion continued for the Aussies, and a win set up a final against the host nation India, and ultimately, a World Cup win for the ages.
The epic individual performances and the comeback from a horrible start are the reasons why Australia’s eventual World Cup victory is highlighted on our four impactful moments from 2023 world cups. The ODI success was a critical showing of how the fighting spirit of our cricket teams is still on full show, and a reminder to the world that in order to be successful in any form of cricket you will need to go through Australia.
The Matildas (FIFA Women’s World Cup, final position: 4th)
There have been some huge world cup moments already mentioned, but none are bigger than the Matildas entire campaign at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, on home soil. The Matildas entered the World Cup with a hope of making a memorable run and they achieved that and more during the tournament.
Home World Cups are different, and this was emphatically showcased through the impact the Matildas had during the tournament and continue to have post tournament on the entire Australian public. The Matildas played in front of sold-out crowd after sold-out crowd, as they made a truly historic charge for glory. Moments from this World Cup will be spoken about forever, with both young and old members of the public sharing stories of where they were when the big moments occurred.
The Matildas did eventually stumble out in the semi-final against England, however that loss has already been forgotten about due to the magnitude of what was occurring around the nation. Arguably the biggest moment on the field during the World Cup was that stunning Sam Kerr goal in the semi-final — a thunderous strike that made the entire country, if only for a moment, believe that a Matildas fairy tale was on the cards. It’s something I know I will never forget, and many other people around Australia and the world won’t forget.
The final moment and arguably the most impactful moment from the 2023 World Cup season is the Matildas entire World Cup campaign. They managed to bring an entire country together through collective hope and enjoyment, whilst also showcasing why they have been severely underrated on the world stage. Here’s hoping to bigger and better things in 2027.
The 2023 World Cup campaigns of all the previously mentioned teams will all be remembered for different reasons, one for disappointment, one for strength in adversity, one for showcasing why Australia have always been world leaders in cricket and the final one for how a country can be unified by the promise of sporting glory. Whilst not every team was successful in winning a world cup, it truly has been an amazing year in Australian sport, and 2023 will forever be remembered as the year that Australia showcased themselves as a global powerhouse in World Cups regardless of the sport.
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